Daniel 3 — ENGLXXUP

3 Verse 1 In his eighteenth year Nebuchadnezzar the king made a golden image, its height was sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits: and he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. ^{Verse 2} And he sent forth to gather the governors, and the captains, and the heads of provinces, chiefs, and princes, and those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, to come to the dedication of the image. ^{Verse 3} So the heads of provinces, the governors, the captains, the chiefs, the great princes, those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, were gathered to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image. ^{Verse 4} Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, ye peoples, tribes, and languages, ^{Verse 5} at what hour ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and every kind of music, ye shall fall down and worship the golden image which King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ^{Verse 6} And whosoever shall not fall down and worship, in the same hour he shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace. ^{Verse 7} And it came to pass when the nations heard the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the nations, tribes, and languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ^{Verse 8} Then came near certain Chaldeans, and accused the Jews to the king, saying, ^{Verse 9} O king, live forever. ^{Verse 10} Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man who shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music, ^{Verse 11} and shall not fall down and worship the golden image, shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace. ^{Verse 12} There are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who have not obeyed thy decree, O king: they serve not thy gods, and worship not the golden image which thou hast set up. ^{Verse 13} Then Nebuchadnezzar in wrath and anger commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: and they were brought before the king. ^{Verse 14} And Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that ye serve not my gods, and worship not the golden image which I have set up? ^{Verse 15} Now then if ye be ready, whensoever ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and harmony, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the golden image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, in the same hour ye shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace; and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand? ^{Verse 16} Then answered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, We have no need to answer thee concerning this matter. ^{Verse 17} For our God whom we serve is in the heavens, able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will rescue us from thy hands, O king. ^{Verse 18} But if not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the image which thou hast set up. ^{Verse 19} Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and the form of his countenance was changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: and he gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than usual, until it should burn to the uttermost. ^{Verse 20} And he commanded mighty men to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. ^{Verse 21} Then those men were bound with their coats, and caps, and hose, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace, ^{Verse 22} forasmuch as the king’s word prevailed; and the furnace was made exceeding hot. ^{Verse 23} Then these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the midst of the burning furnace, ^{Verse 24} and walked in the midst of the flame, singing praise to God, and blessing the Lord. ^{Verse 25} Then Azariah stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said, ^{Verse 26} Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: ^{Verse 27} For thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us: ^{Verse 28} In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, ^{Verse 29} For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee. ^{Verse 30} Nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, ^{Verse 31} Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and everything that thou hast done to us, ^{Verse 32} And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, ^{Verse 33} And now we cannot open our mouths, ^{Verse 34} Yet deliver us not up wholly, for thy name’s sake, ^{Verse 35} And cause not thy mercy to depart from us, ^{Verse 36} To whom thou hast spoken and promised, ^{Verse 37} For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, ^{Verse 38} Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, ^{Verse 39} Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted. ^{Verse 40} So let our sacrifice be in thy sight this day, ^{Verse 41} And now we follow thee with all our heart, ^{Verse 42} But deal with us after thy lovingkindness, ^{Verse 43} Deliver us also according to thy marvelous works, ^{Verse 44} And let all them that do thy servants hurt be ashamed; ^{Verse 45} And let them know that thou art Lord, the only God, ^{Verse 46} And the king’s servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood; ^{Verse 47} so that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits. ^{Verse 48} And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace. ^{Verse 49} But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azariah and his fellows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven; ^{Verse 50} and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them. ^{Verse 51} Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed, God in the furnace, saying, ^{Verse 52} Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: ^{Verse 53} Blessed art thou in the temple of thy holy glory: ^{Verse 54} Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubim: ^{Verse 55} Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom: ^{Verse 56} Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and above all to be praised and glorified forever. ^{Verse 57} O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 58} O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 59} O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 60} O all ye waters that be above the heaven, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 61} O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 62} O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 63} O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 64} O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 65} O all ye winds, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 66} O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 71} O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 72} O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 73} O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 74} O let the earth bless the Lord: ^{Verse 75} O ye mountains and little hills, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 76} O all ye things that grow on the earth, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 77} O ye seas and rivers, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 78} O ye fountains, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 79} O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 80} O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 81} O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 82} O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 83} O Israel, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 84} O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 85} O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 86} O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 87} O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: ^{Verse 88} O Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, bless ye the Lord; ^{Verse 89} O give thanks unto the Lord, because he is gracious: ^{Verse 90} O all ye that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, ^{Verse 91} And Nebuchadnezzar heard them singing praises; and he wondered, and rose up in haste, and said to his nobles, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? and they said to the king, Yes, O king. ^{Verse 92} And the king said, But I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and there has no harm happened to them; and the appearance of the fourth is like the Son of God. ^{Verse 93} Then Nebuchadnezzar drew near to the door of the burning fiery furnace, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, proceed forth, and come hither. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth out of the midst of the fire. ^{Verse 94} Then were assembled the satraps, and captains, and heads of provinces, and the royal princes; and they saw the men, and perceived that the fire had not had power against their bodies, and the hair of their head was not burned, and their coats were not scorched, nor was the smell of fire upon them. ^{Verse 95} And King Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants, because they trusted in him; and they have changed the king’s word, and delivered their bodies to be burned, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. ^{Verse 96} Wherefore I publish a decree: Every people, tribe, or language, that shall speak reproachfully against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be destroyed, and their houses shall be plundered: because there is no other God who shall be able to deliver thus. ^{Verse 97} Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon, and advanced them, and gave them authority to rule over all the Jews who were in his kingdom.